


Have Faith and Say: "I'm Yours"

by centreoftheselights



Series: an old story, more or less [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: (he's just grumpy though), Alternate Universe - Ancient Greek Religion & Lore Fusion, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Antagonist Remy Sanders, Antagonistic Virgil Sanders, Arranged Marriage, Asexual Logan Sanders, Becoming a god, Brief suicidal thoughts, Curses, Declarations Of Love, Divine punishment, Falling In Love, Fluff, God of Beauty Remy Sanders, God of Death Virgil Sanders, God of Heroes Roman Sanders, God of Love Thomas, God of Sleep Remy Sanders, God of Spring Patton Sanders, God of Wisdom Logan Sanders, Hades/The Underworld, Hurt/Comfort, Impossible Tasks, Inspired by Eros and Psyche (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Internalised aphobia, King of the Gods Thomas, Kissing, M/M, Mention of Death, Prequel, Prince Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Prophecy, Reunions, Sharing a Bed, Stand Alone Prequel, being held prisoner, mention of poison
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-11
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2020-04-24 18:01:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19178533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/centreoftheselights/pseuds/centreoftheselights
Summary: A mortal prince has offended the God of Beauty, Remy, and the God of Wisdom has been tasked with punishing him.It doesn't turn out the way any of them expect.





	Have Faith and Say: "I'm Yours"

“Can you believe the nerve of this bitch?”

Logan, God of Knowledge, looked up as Remy, God of Beauty, burst into his office.

“Which bitch would this be?” he asked, flatly.

“This _p_ _rince_ ,” Remy pouted. “The beautiful one. The one that people are saying is – I can't believe this – _prettier than me_! They are _worshipping_ him as a _new god_ , Lo, it's completely out of line –”

“And this is my problem because…?”

“Uh-uh, don't give me that! You _owe_ me, gurl. I am calling in my favour. You are going to handle this prince bitch for me, while I have myself a spa day to recover. Mkay?”

Logan sighed. He didn't want to do this – but Remy was right. He owed him.

“What do you want me to do?”

  


The next day, Prince Roman, the most beautiful man in the world, received a prophecy from the God of Wisdom's temple. It stated that he must pack his bags and leave his home, because he was fated to marry a monster – one who was cold-hearted, ruthless and without humanity, who would never be capable of love.

Remy, watching from afar as the prince heard the news, sipped his drink and smirked.

  


“Uh, hi. Are you my new husband?”

Roman looked down at the person who had opened the door to the grand old house the prophecy had directed him to. He looked like nothing so much as a sixteen-year-old, albeit one who would clearly be a great beauty in a few years. But even though appearances could be deceiving where gods and monsters were concerned, Roman really wasn't sure he was comfortable with this.

“Oh, no! Not me, silly!” the boy said. “I'm Patton. I live here too. You're Roman, right?”

Roman smiled in relief. Although he wanted to face his destiny head-on, he wasn't looking forward to meeting his new betrothed.

“Patton, it's a pleasure to meet you. How do you know my husband?”

“He's my brother!” Patton paused for a moment, and added: “Well, we don't have the same parents. But he raised me, and taught me everything I knew.”

“With a brother so sweet as you, I cannot imagine he is half the monster the prophecy made him out to be.”

To Roman's surprise, Patton bit his lip.

“I'm… not allowed to talk about it to you,” he said, apologetically. “Do you want a tour of the house?”

“I… suppose so?” Roman really wasn't expecting a warm welcome. But the house was large and well-lit, with a bright, airy greenhouse and a large library – an entirely pleasant place to be. Patton informed him, as they walked together, that there were only two rules: Roman was not allowed to leave.

And he could never, ever, take a light into his bedroom.

  


By that evening, Roman's husband still hadn't made an appearance. Roman went into the master bedroom alone. None of the lights worked, and when he closed the door, the room was so pitch-black that he couldn't see his hand in front of his face.

Even though Roman was half-expecting it, he still shrieked when he first heard the sounds of another person lying in the large bed beside him.

“Who are you?” he yelped.

“Your husband,” came the answer. “Who were you expecting?”

Roman supposed that he deserved that.

“I –” Roman swallowed, hard. “I suppose you'll be wanting… I mean, this is our wedding night –”

“No,” the voice said, firmly. “No, I can assure you I have no interest in… _that_.”

Roman relaxed minutely. “Okay then. Well… what do you want?”

The voice laughed softly.

“I fear you have misunderstood this arrangement,” Roman's husband said. “I have no interest in you whatsoever. You are here only so that you may never know happiness with someone else. You can live in my house in peace, do whatever you like… but you may never speak with me in daylight, never learn my name, nor even once look upon my face. Do you understand?”

Roman shivered. How horrible must his husband's true form be, if he would not let even his husband look at him? But he could bear this; he knew he could. He would not let Fate defeat his spirit.

“I do.”

  


And so Roman had the freedom of the house by day, and at night he shared a bed with a man he had never seen or touched or spoken to.

… Well, that was the plan. But Roman had other ideas. He was _bored_ , dammit, and if he was going to lie next to this guy all night, he wanted to at least _talk_.

So Roman pestered his husband into conversation, rambling incessantly about whatever sprang into his head – plays and gossip and poetry –

“Poetry?”

That caught his husband's interest. Roman did a dramatic performance of a couple of his favourites, although he struggled to remember all the lines. His husband corrected him gently whenever he faltered, and subsequently recited several more verses, apparently without difficulty.

Roman fell asleep listening to him.

The next day, Roman spent in the library, reading poetry books.

The two of them started talking – okay, bickering, sometimes, because his husband (who, in absence of a name, Roman has started to think of as 'The Nerd') had a lot of bad ideas. Ideas like “musicals are pointless frippery” –

“Music is an art, so is acting, how dare you –”

“Both are only arts when they're used to expand the mind, not to while away the hours with empty pageantry –”

They talked about philosophy and beauty and the great deeds of heroes. They talked about love –

“Love is –” the still, calm voice hesitated. “I used to think love was pointless frippery, too.”

“Used to?” Roman asked, barely daring to hope. He reached out to the warm form stretched beside him – when did they start sleeping curled close together, no longer a bed's width apart? – and squeezed his husband's hand. “What changed?”

“ _Roman_ ,” the voice said, and Roman wasn't sure if it was a warning – or an answer.

“I think love is the greatest thing in the world,” Roman said, breathlessly. “Don't you?”

And then silence fell in the darkness, as their lips met for the first time.

  


Roman awoke the next morning floating on cloud nine, dancing from room to room with an unshakable smile on his face.

But.

But he wanted _more_ than kisses in the dark. He wanted to eat lunch with The Nerd – _His_ Nerd – and continue bickering about Plato, and to see the smile he felt on his husband's lips when they kissed. He didn't care if his husband was a monster – if he was ugly, deformed, broken, it didn't matter one bit to Roman. Roman could no longer believe that his husband was incapable of love, not when he cradled Roman's face so softly in the darkness and murmured poetry until he fell asleep.

Roman wanted them to be together, _always_.

“Don't push it,” Patton warned him. “You're happy now. Can't you stay like this?”

But Roman had a dream of a life lived together in daylight, and he had always chased after his dreams.

There were no torches in the house, or even candles. But Roman stole away the matches from the shelf by the fireplace, and hid them under his pillow. That night, after the two of them had spoken for over an hour, and kissed at least a dozen more times, Roman waited until his love was asleep –

And struck a light.

It took a moment for his eyes to adjust, but when they did, what Roman saw took his breath away.

“By the gods,” Roman whispered. “You're beautiful!”

The most beautiful man Roman had ever seen. Roman wanted to cry with how lucky he was, to have this man as his husband, beautiful inside and out.

… And then, right before his eyes, his love's sleeping form crumbled into dust, and blew away.

Roman cried out and ran out the room, calling for Patton – but no-one answered. The house began to crumble, and then it was falling down around him, disappearing right before his eyes, until he was on his own, on the street, with no-one and nothing –

Roman did cry, then. He fell to his knees and sobbed, for everything he had lost, for the regret of losing his love.

Then he pulled himself together, picked up his sword – one of the few items remaining, in this now-empty plot of land – and set out to win back his husband.

  


_M_ _eanwhile, on_ _O_ _lympus_ :

“Gurl, what the hell were you thinking? I told you to _punish_ this bitch, and instead you _marry_ him? Marrying a god ain't a punishment, even if that god is you!”

Logan folded his arms. “I took him away from his kingdom. No-one is worshipping him any more. I fail to see the problem. Now, can I return to my husband please?”

“Nuh-uh. You knew this would happen, that's why you tried to hide it from me! I already claimed right of punishment, and you failed to deliver. You aren't getting within a hundred miles of that bitch until _I_ am _satisfied_.”

  


Roman went to the temple district, looking to pray for guidance. There were a lot of gods he could choose from but – somehow, knowing his husband's love of books, he felt drawn to the temple of Logan, God of Knowledge.

Luckily, his family's credit account was still valid here. When he reached the front of the queue, the oracle took his hands, and then let them drop as if burned.

“You have offended Remy,” she said, in a voice far more intense than the bored customer-service countenance Roman was expecting. “You need to make penance, with all haste. Blessings be upon you.”

And then she took Roman's face in her hands, and kissed his cheek. Roman felt a faint tingle of magic glittering there.

“Uh…” That had never happened before. “Thank you?”

The priestess looked confused. “What for?”

 _That's strange_ , Roman thought. Her eyes were definitely brown now – but for a second, he could have sworn they were a deep, midnight blue.

  


Roman visited the temple of Remy, God of Dreams, Sleep, and Beauty. He got on his knees in front of the altar, and declared his submission to the god's service.

“Bitch, it is about time. Come on, I have plans for you.”

There was a sound like fingers snapping, and suddenly Roman was in a large, spacious kitchen, in front of a figure in dark glasses and a brown leather jacket, whose skin was glowing faintly with otherworldly power.

 _Remy_. Good thing Roman was still on his knees, or he'd have to drop to them.

“Here,” Remy said, gesturing to the kitchen table. Roman sat, and watched as Remy went around the cupboards, pulling out five different super-size pots of coffee beans. He tipped each of them onto the table, and then spread them around, until they were completely mixed together.

“You have until I get home from the club,” Remy said. “Sort these back into their jars, and I'll _think_ about forgiving you, letting you have your husband back, all that jazz.”

Roman was not expecting _this_ to be his heroic deed. It was almost impossible to tell the beans apart, but – if this would get his husband back, he had to try. Even when, after hours of sorting, his fingers began to grow numb and his eyes heavy.

Then he heard a faint buzzing sound.

A bee flew in the door, followed by another, and then another. They landed on the pile of coffee beans, and, as Roman watched in amazement –

They started to sort them back into their jars.

Roman's cheek tingled, and he remembered the blessing at the temple. Bees were Logan's sacred animal, and Roman said a prayer of thanks to the God of Knowledge before laying his head down to rest. As Roman drifted slowly to sleep on the now-cleared table, he could have sworn he heard a familiar, nerdy voice, murmuring assurances to him, just has he had so many nights before –

But it was only a dream. Right?

  


The next day, Remy was fuming with anger. He insisted Roman must have cheated somehow, and demanded a do-over.

“I need me some herbal tea,” he explained. “Go out to the meadow and pick a hundred of these flowers –” he conjured up a ghostly image of one – “and crush their petals for me, would you doll?”

Roman gulped. He knew that flower.

“Yes,” he said slowly. “I can do that.”

He set off into the meadow behind Remy's house, but even though he found a patch of the flowers quickly, he hesitated. This kind of flower was deadly poisonous. To touch it, even once, meant certain death.

For a moment, Roman wondered if that was simply his fate. He had angered one of the gods, and Remy seemed determined to see the end of him. Perhaps touching the flowers would simply be a quicker, less painful end.

Perhaps he would see his husband again in the afterlife.

But just as he thought it, the wind began to shake the bush, and an incredible thing happened. One by one, the flowers fell off the plant, and floated gently on the breeze, each one landing straight in his basket.

“Don't give up, kiddo,” Roman could swear he hears Patton whisper. “We're rooting for you.”

Roman hurried home with his harvest, tipping them carefully into a bowl and grinding them down with a wooden spoon. He was just pouring the finished drink as Remy walked in the door.

Remy peered suspiciously at the bright purple concoction, and when he drank it, he scowled.

“You cannot be serious! Girl, I know you don't expect me to buy this.”

“Did I do something wrong?” Roman asked, in a tone that indicated nothing but reverence.

Remy just huffed, and muttered something about tomorrow.

  


The next day, Remy appeared with an evil-looking smile on his face, and Roman's heart sank.

“What do you think of my jacket, hun?” Remy asked, faux-sweetly.

“It looks incredible on you,” Roman answered. It was the truth.

“Yeah, obvs, but don't you think this look is getting old?” Remy prodded. “You know, I know a great jacket that I think would really complete my ensemble.”

“And you want me to fetch it for you?” Roman guessed.

“You got it!” Remy grinned viciously. “It belongs to Virgil, Lord of Hades. Just pop by and ask him to borrow it, would you?”

Roman bit his lip. It was another impossible task. Mortals could not leave the underworld once they entered it. But –

“If I do this,” Roman said slowly, “do you swear on the Styx that you will give me my husband back?”

Remy shrugged. “Sure. I swear.”

Roman knew that Remy didn't expect Roman to succeed. He wanted him to die trying. But Roman was determined not to fail his Nerd now.

Roman walked out into the town, wondering how he was meant to get to the Underworld without dying. There were ways, right? He'd heard of heroes doing it before. Okay, it didn't normally end well, but –

When a bee buzzed past his head, Roman turned to follow it. Weird magical bullshit, don't fail him now!

The bee led him to a cave, then rested on his hand for a moment. Roman whispered his thanks to Logan before stepping inside.

The cave was dark, but Roman wasn't afraid of darkness. If he tried, he could almost imagine his love beside him. Just one step out of reach, ready to tell Roman what an idiot he's being. Roman doesn't care if this quest was foolish and headstrong. Love was the best thing in the world, and he was prepared to risk _anything_ to get it back.

Slowly, light began to appear – not coming from any particular source, but a ghostly pale glow illuminating everything in dim shades of grey. Roman kept walking forward, sword held tight in his hand. He paid his pennies for the ferryman to let him across the river – two more in his pocket, ready for a return trip – and walks on.

The threeheaded dog might be a problem, though.

Cerberus blocked Roman's path. He was still lying down, for now, but all three of his heads were watching Roman, and one of them was growling softly. Roman gripped his sword –

“Raise a hand against my dog, and you'll regret it.” A figure stepped out of the darkness, ghostly pale with raven-black hair. He eyed Roman coldly.

“Let me guess: you're a hero. And you have some… epic quest thing you want me to help with.”

“Actually –”

“I don't care,” Virgil cut him off. “It's not my problem. And now that you're here, I can't let you leave.”

  


_M_ _eanwhile on Olympus_ :

“This is _entirely_ unacceptable!”

“I had right of punishment, I set a punishment –”

“You already set two others, that he completed! And you do _not_ have a right to kill my husband –”

“Bitch said he was prettier than me!”

“Oh, get over yourself, you –”

“Guys, guys!” Thomas, King of the Gods, held up a hand. “You're giving me a headache. Logan. This really matters to you?”

Logan frowned. “Of course. My protection is –”

“You care about this mortal?” Thomas asked again.

Logan shifted uncomfortably.

“I…” He nodded. “Yes. I love him. I want him to be safe. Please.”

“Girl…” Remy groaned.

Thomas shrugged at him. “What can I say, I love love!”

“You're such a softie! You can't just overrule me!”

Thomas nods slowly.

“I'm gonna have to make a compromise. Logan, Roman has to complete the letter of the promise he made Remy… he has to _ask_ for the jacket. Without any hints or help this time! But so long as he does that, you can pull him out of the Underworld. Okay?”

“… Agreed.” Logan said reluctantly.

It was all on Roman now.

  


“If you'll just give me a moment to explain –” Roman said, trying to keep his voice level despite his desperation.

“Lost love, great deeds, offended honour, blah blah blah.” Virgil sighed. “I've heard it all before. If I try and help you, you'll squander it, so how about I just… don't.”

“Please, my husband –”

“You'll be getting to spend plenty of time with him now you're here! Won't that be fun!”

“He isn't dead! I have to –”

“What, he sent you here on his behalf? Dude, talk about bossy. This is why I'm never getting married.”

“Remy sent me!” Roman snapped. “One of your fellow gods.”

“Great, I _love_ those guys,” Virgil said, one eyebrow raised sarcastically. “Okay, time for you to say goodbye to having a body –”

He raised his hand, poised to snap –

“CAN I BORROW YOUR JACKET!” Roman yelled. Brandishing his sword. Whoops.

“…” Virgil stared at him. “ _Excuse_ me?”

And then there was a blinding flash of light.

When Roman's vision cleared, another man was stood between them. He was tall and slender, with dark skin and white hair, and wore a blue-black cape that glittered with stars.

Despite having had only a moment to look upon him, Roman would recognise that figure anywhere.

This was his husband.

“Logan?” Virgil asked.

Wait, what?

“You're a _god_?” Roman asked.

“What are you doing here? I thought he was one of Remy's?”

“You could have _mentioned_ ,” Roman continued. “We only spent _six months_ talking every night, but now I find out you're a _literal god_ –”

“Roman, is now really the time?” Logan asked.

“That's a fine way to greet your husband!”

“Your _husband_?” Virgil demanded.

“I'm taking him back to the surface world,” Logan said flatly.

“But he's _mortal_ , he can't _leave_ –” Virgil waved his hands angrily. “What is it with you people and this rule?”

Logan folded his arms.

“Thomas said I could.”

“Ugh. Fine! Get out of my hair, both of you!”

Logan took Roman's hand, and the Underworld vanished.

  


The two of them reappeared in the surface world. In fact, they were back in _their_ house. Stood in the kitchen. In daylight.

Roman could hardly believe it.

“You're Logan?” Roman asked, softly.

Logan nodded, almost shyly, before dropping Roman's hand.

“I apologise for not telling you sooner. I thought –” He sighed. “I never wanted this to happen. I thought that if you never found out, maybe we could find some kind of happiness together…”

“What?” Roman asked, confused. He didn't know why Logan looked so sad. They were together again now, weren't they?

“Remy called in a favour to ask me to punish you,” Logan explained. “Do you know what he requested, specifically?”

Roman shook his head.

“That you would live your whole life, never knowing the love of a spouse,” Logan explained.

“But…” Roman couldn't believe what Logan was saying. He refused to believe it.

“When I saw you, I knew that would be exceedingly difficult to arrange. But, there was one person I knew would be able to fulfil the task.”

Logan gestured sadly at himself.

“But…” Roman's voice cracked, as he forced himself to ask: “You love me?”

“I told you the first night we met, Roman.” Logan shrugged. “With me, you will never have a real wedding night. I'm not… I don't feel that way. Not ever. I know that I'm not what anyone would want in a husband –”

“I beg your pardon!” Roman interrupted. “I've told you before not to tell me what I think!”

“I…” Logan blinked at him. “What do you mean?”

“So, you don't want my body. Well, so what? I fell in love with your _mind_.” Roman stroked a hand over his husband's face. “And I didn't come this far just to abandon you now.”

Their kiss was sweet and feather-light, but it made Roman feel as though he's floating, as though he was full of light.

No, wait. He was _actually_ _floating_ , and he _was_ full of light, glowing red and bronze and gold –

A rush of energy ran through him, and suddenly Roman felt – more. More _everything_ , like the whole world's brightness settings had been turned up high.

“I'm a god.” The words were on his lips before he even understood them himself. “Stone the crows, Logan, I'm a _god_!”

“Roman,” Logan said, in a tone of wonder. “God of Heroes.”

“And your husband,” Roman insisted. “For the rest of forever.”

“Do I get a say in that?” Logan teased.

“Only if you say yes.”

“Ah. Yes, then.”

Roman smiled, glowing bright as the sun, and kissed his husband again.

**Author's Note:**

> This originated on my Discord server! Come hang out at <https://discord.gg/SM7JVze>


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